Jelly Roll was soft launching his new chapter before news of his breakup with Bunnie XO emerged.
Almost two weeks before news of the country singer’s divorce filing on May 18th became public on June 15th, he performed at the CMA Fest without wearing his wedding ring.
During his performance at the country music festival in Nashville on June 4th, people noticed Jelly Roll wasn’t wearing a ring on his left hand. The 41-year-old singer was dressed casually for the show, sporting a black outfit with an open denim shirt and a backwards blue baseball cap.
Jelly Roll (born Jason DeFord) didn’t consistently wear his wedding ring – a plain black band – throughout his almost decade-long marriage to Bunnie (Alisa DeFord). Recently, he stopped wearing it completely when appearing in public.
After performing at the CMAs on June 4th, singer Jelly Roll posted a photo on Instagram showing off the ring. Interestingly, he wore it on his index finger instead of his ring finger.
I’m absolutely floored by the news about Jelly Roll and Bunnie! It feels like just yesterday I was reading Bunnie’s book, Stripped Down, where she talked so excitedly about having twins through a surrogate. They seemed SO happy and were really opening up about building their family… this is such a shock!
After years of working on our financial and emotional well-being, my husband and I are now planning to expand our family. We’ve partnered with a wonderful surrogate, and I’m about to begin the process of IVF stimulation, as shared in my recent book.
Just a month after his soon-to-be-ex-wife published her memoir, Jelly Roll – who has two children, 17-year-old Bailee and 9-year-old Noah, from previous relationships – publicly praised her achievement for International Women’s Day.
In an Instagram post on March 8th, Jelly Roll expressed his deep gratitude to his wife, calling her beautiful, intelligent, compassionate, and graceful. He also congratulated her on becoming a New York Times bestselling author and shared that she ‘saved my life,’ saying he’ll never be able to fully thank her for making him feel complete.
He remarked that a successful man often has a wonderful woman supporting him, and he wholeheartedly agreed that was the case for him.
For a look back at Jelly Roll and Bunnie’s romance, keep reading…
Bunnie Xo and Jelly Roll’s relationship started in Las Vegas back in 2015. Bunnie shared on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast that she first met Jelly Roll while he was performing at the Las Vegas Country Saloon – before he achieved fame. He was living in a van at the time, and there were only about 20 people in the audience.
Despite their initial differences—Bunnie admitted he wasn’t typically her type (he’s a fan of Taylor Swift!)—they felt an immediate connection. She described it as feeling like she had finally found someone she was meant to meet.
However, they didn’t immediately become a couple. Both were dealing with other things: Bunnie was in an unhealthy relationship, and Jelly Roll was focused on his own life. They reconnected in October 2015, and Bunnie quickly fell for him.
After Bunnie’s ex-partner went to prison, she gave Jelly Roll her number through a friend. He started reaching out to her for advice about his daughter, Bailee.
The relationship turned romantic in July 2016 when he returned to Vegas to film videos and they spent the night together. Bunnie remembered a humorous exchange during a very tipsy encounter where she was making moves and Jelly Roll asked about her five-year plan! After discussing their goals, they decided to pursue a relationship.
Bunnie and Jelly Roll followed through on their plans quickly after meeting. They got married in Las Vegas just a month later, in August 2016, and stuck to a five-year plan they’d discussed – culminating in buying a house together, Bunnie shared on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast.
Bunnie also had her own ambitions. After leaving sex work in 2019, she launched the Dumb Blonde podcast later that same year. Jelly Roll explained on The Howard Stern Show that when they talked about her future, Bunnie expressed a desire to host a talk show.
Bunnie financially supported Jelly Roll’s career and personal life during this time, investing in his 2017 album Addiction Kills and helping him with a custody battle for his daughter, as she revealed on the Sofia with an F podcast.
Jelly Roll’s daughter, Bailee, was born in 2008 while he was in prison for drug dealing. He credits Bailee with saving his life, even though she was very young at the time. Bailee remembers him entering her life around age two, when he was starting his music career and living in a van. While Jelly Roll admits he wasn’t always there for her, he fought for full custody when Bailee’s mother struggled with addiction.
Even though their relationship was new, Jelly Roll’s now-wife, Bunnie, financially supported his legal battle to gain custody. This led both of them to re-examine their own lives. Bunnie questioned whether they were fit to care for Bailee given their own struggles with substance abuse, and ultimately decided to get sober.
Bunnie also embraced a motherly role, and expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to be a mom to Bailee, writing a heartfelt message for Bailee’s 16th birthday in 2024, thanking Jelly Roll for allowing her to be Bailee’s mother and acknowledging the healing impact Bailee has had on her life.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie welcomed their son, Noah, around the time of their wedding in August 2016, while Jelly Roll was also navigating a custody battle for his daughter, Bailee. He shared his hopes for Noah on Facebook, writing, “God Bless this Child to be everything I am not!” and expressing a wish that his children wouldn’t suffer for his past mistakes.
Over the years, Jelly Roll and Bunnie have largely kept Noah’s life private, sharing only occasional glimpses. In July 2023, Bunnie posted a TikTok featuring Noah, asking him about his favorite things, like soccer and playing at the beach. She emphasized that she had gotten permission from Noah’s mother before sharing the video.
Bunnie and Jelly Roll have a good relationship with Noah’s mother, whom Bunnie describes as a wonderful person and essential support, especially when Jelly Roll is touring. Bunnie also cherishes her role as Noah’s stepmother, expressing how much joy she finds in watching him grow up and feeling privileged to be a part of his life since he was born.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie separated two years after getting married. Jelly Roll later admitted to infidelity as the reason for their split, calling it a low point in his life. He explained that he realized how much he loved Bunnie even as he was making a mistake.
Despite the hardship, they worked to save their relationship and got back together in 2018. Jelly Roll emphasized the effort they both put into repairing things, and that it ultimately made them stronger. While he wishes the affair hadn’t happened, he’s proud of the couple they’ve become.
Bunnie shared on TikTok in 2023 that their 2018 breakup and subsequent reconciliation led them on an incredible journey. She described their relationship as needing to ‘crumble’ before they could rebuild it on a stronger foundation, expressing her deep love for him.
As Jelly Roll’s popularity grew, he and Bunnie made their red carpet debut as a couple at the 2022 CMA Awards. In the documentary Jelly Roll: Save Me, Bunnie described them as “the Addams Family of country music – we don’t really fit in, but here we are.”
Jelly Roll and Bunnie celebrated seven years of marriage in 2023 by renewing their vows. Looking back on their original wedding, Bunnie remembered Jelly Roll promising her things would get better and that they would overcome challenges together. He kept that promise.
Bunnie described the last seven years as a challenging but rewarding journey. They worked hard to heal from past traumas and build a loving, healthy relationship, creating a stable home for Bailee. Through everything, they faced difficulties together with strength and positivity.
Bunnie affectionately called Jelly Roll her soulmate, safe haven, and best friend, praising him as an exceptional man. She expressed her deep love and appreciation for him, saying there’s no one like him.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie continue to have a loving relationship, and she’s even been the inspiration behind some of his music, including songs like “Woman” and “Kill a Man.” He told Entertainment Tonight that she’s “the best,” and he struggled to write a genuine love song without sounding cheesy. He wanted to express how deeply he feels for her while still being true to himself. He feels like there’s no other woman for him and wanted a song to reflect that vulnerability. The couple also appeared together in the music videos for “Wheels Fall Off” and “Lonely Road,” which featured Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox.
Oh my gosh, I just live for Jelly and Bunnie! Seriously, I’m always rooting for Jelly, just like Bunnie is – whether we’re watching him perform or just chilling at home. She gets him, you know? She posted the sweetest thing after the CMT Awards, calling him her ‘visionary’ and ‘maestro of misfits’! It’s so true! She reminded everyone this wasn’t an overnight thing – it’s been twenty years of hard work! She talks about those tough days when it felt like nobody was listening, and then the incredible nights when arenas were packed. It’s just… beautiful. She sees the way he pours his heart into his songs, writing these incredibly healing lyrics for anyone who’s hurting, and how those songs just reach people. She says it’s like his music ‘kisses the cracks of their souls’, and that they feel understood. It gives me chills! And he calls her ‘Papabear’ – how cute is that?! He says her voice is an instrument of healing, and the world is her choir! She’s just… everything to him, and he’s everything to her. She says she loves him in this life and every other one! It’s just the most amazing thing. And he’s her biggest fan too! He’s so proud of everything she’s built with her podcast and on social media, especially how she inspires other women. Honestly, watching their love story unfold is like listening to the most beautiful song.
Bunnie Xo is fiercely protective of her husband, Jelly Roll, and won’t tolerate anyone attacking him. She recently spoke out against hurtful online comments he received about his weight before losing over 200 pounds, explaining he had to step away from the internet due to the bullying. While Jelly Roll doesn’t always show his pain, Bunnie says the comments deeply affect him. She pushed back against the idea that celebrities should simply ‘handle’ online negativity, stating that it’s never okay to bully anyone, as you don’t know what they’re going through mentally.
Bunnie vowed to defend those who are targeted and won’t allow lies or bullying towards her family. Jelly Roll has also been open about his health struggles, revealing on The Joe Rogan Experience that he felt like he was ‘dying’ as he dealt with low testosterone and other issues.
Jelly Roll and his wife, Bunnie, have been publicly sharing their journey to expand their family. After Jelly Roll mentioned they were considering having a baby, Bunnie explained they’ve been undergoing IVF treatments. She shared on Instagram in June 2024 that they decided to be open about the process, despite wanting to keep it private, because of the challenges they were already facing. They’ve also explored surrogacy as an option, as Bunnie explained on her podcast Dumb Blonde in March 2025 that she is unable to carry a child herself due to health risks. While the process has been difficult, Bunnie has maintained a hopeful outlook, stating on her podcast in November 2025 that they are trusting in God’s plan and are open to adoption if needed. They initially hadn’t planned to have more children, but felt a change of heart this year and now want to add to their family, which already includes Bailee and Noah.
According to court documents, Jelly Roll filed for divorce in May 2026. Shortly before the news became public, his wife, Bunnie, shared a suggestive post on Instagram. She posted a photo of herself in lingerie with the caption, “She’s getting her sparkle back.”
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2026-06-16 19:18